The art of wayang, which has been Indonesia’s cultural heritage for centuries, has proven its resilience by surviving and adapting to the times. Even though it is faced with the current of modernization and cultural change, Wayang art still amazes and attracts the attention of today’s generation.
Puppetry, including wayang kulit and wayang golek, continues to be the main attraction in performing arts life in Indonesia. This art not only depicts traditional epic stories but also adapts contemporary themes, providing a fresh touch for modern audiences.
This emerged in the “Pakeliran Today” workshop commemorating National Puppet Day at the Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) Cultural Village on Saturday, November 18, 2023. The workshop is a series of activities commemorating National Puppet Day 2023 resulting from collaboration between the Central Java Provincial Education and Culture Service, UNNES, and the Central Java Indonesian Puppetry Association (Pepadi).
In their efforts to remain relevant, puppeteers and wayang artists are adopting creative innovations. Wayang performances are no longer limited to the traditional stage but are also found in new forms of creation, both in the form of plays, musical compositions, and various supporting performances.
“Facts have proven that wayang has been able to survive for centuries,” said Dr. Widodo, lecturer at the Music Arts Study Program, Faculty of Languages and Arts (FBS) UNNES, who is also the administrator of Pepadi Central Java. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Dhoni Zustiyantoro, lecturer at the Javanese Literature Study Program, FBS UNNES.
Before the discussion was held, a dense puppet play, “Jarasandha,” was shown and performed by Irfan Dao Zaidan Nabhan, the second winner of the 2023 National Children’s Puppeteer Festival. This class VI junior high school student said that he first became interested in puppets when he saw a video of Wayang slashing on the YouTube channel several years ago. After that, he looked for a wayang teacher and met Ki Warseno, an artist in Semarang City who is also an employee at RRI Semarang. Since then, Irfan has enjoyed practicing shadow puppetry, leading him to win second place in a competition in Jakarta.
According to Ki Warseno, when training children and teenagers, a trainer must adapt to their character. In some cases, a teacher cannot impose his ideals on students. For example, the standards in classical wayang cannot be forced on students who are just learning but must be gradually included in the gamelan accompaniment.
The Music Arts Study Program lecturer, who is also a gamelan composer, Sugiyanto MSn, stated that the production of gending in Wayang is always dynamic. Sugiyanto said that around 10 years ago, it was not common for gending ayak-ayak, srepeg, and sampak to open a wayang performance to be given vocals. But now, almost all puppeteers, especially young puppeteers, use such works.
Apart from being entertainment, wayang art is also seen as an effective instrument in character education. Puppet stories, which often contain moral and ethical values, make a positive contribution to shaping the personalities of the younger generation. Even though the art of puppetry is able to adapt to the times, challenges remain, including competition with other forms of modern entertainment. However, with the spirit of innovation and support from the community, it is believed that the art of wayang will remain an integral part of Indonesia’s cultural richness.
